Long Island is not one kind of wedding. It is a Gold Coast mansion in Old Westbury with gilded interiors and 42 acres of grounds. Or it is a vineyard on the North Fork with flat light and rows of vines at golden hour. It is a beach club in Bridgehampton with the Atlantic directly behind the ceremony. Or it is Oheka Castle rising out of the Huntington hills like something transplanted from France. No other market I shoot in has this range — and I have photographed weddings across all of it.
Long Island wedding venues I have photographed
Oheka Castle in Huntington is the most dramatic venue on Long Island. Built in 1919 for financier Otto Hermann Kahn, it is the second-largest private home ever built in the United States. The grand staircase, the formal gardens, the ballroom — everything photographs at a scale that most American venues cannot approach. Additionally, the castle is a full resort with overnight accommodations, making it ideal for wedding weekends.
Bourne Mansion in Oakdale is a Gilded Age estate built in 1898 for Frederick Gilbert Bourne, president of Singer Sewing Machine Company. The limestone exterior, the formal terraces, the sweeping lawns — it is a venue that looks equally good in every season. Furthermore, the scale of the grounds allows for portrait coverage that never feels crowded or repetitive.
The Bridgehampton Tennis and Surf Club offers a completely different character — the beach, the dunes, the Hamptons light in late summer. Ceremonies here happen with the Atlantic directly behind the couple. The contrast between the casual beach setting and the formality of a wedding works beautifully in photographs.
De Seversky Mansion in Old Westbury, built in 1918 and now owned by NYIT, is one of the Gold Coast estates that still hosts weddings with full access to the historic interiors. The grand staircase and the exceptional natural light in the main floor rooms are among the strongest portrait elements of any Long Island venue.
Bedell Cellars on the North Fork offers the vineyard experience — rows of vines, open sky, a working winery with genuine agricultural character. The light on the North Fork in summer and fall is extraordinary. Moreover, the venue has a completely different atmosphere from the estate and beach club options, which is exactly what makes Long Island so varied.
Baiting Hollow Club and other North Shore venues round out the range — golf club settings with water views and the particular quality of Long Island Sound light.
What makes Long Island weddings distinctive to photograph
The range. On the same island, you can photograph a French-style castle, a Gilded Age limestone mansion, a working vineyard, a beach club, and a golf club with Sound views. Each requires a completely different approach — a different light, a different pacing, a different portrait instinct. I have shot all of these and know how to move between them.
The Hamptons light in late summer is also genuinely special. The quality of light on the East End from July through September — the flatness of it, the warmth, the way it wraps around people in the late afternoon — is unlike anything in the city. Additionally, the North Fork has its own version of this: quieter, more agricultural, less precious.
Frequently Asked Questions: Long Island Wedding Photography
Do you photograph weddings on Long Island?
Yes. I have photographed weddings across Long Island — the Gold Coast estates, the Hamptons beach clubs, the North Fork vineyards, and the North Shore country clubs. Long Island is one of my core markets.
How far in advance should I book a Long Island wedding photographer?
For peak Hamptons season — June through September — book twelve to eighteen months in advance. Oheka Castle and Bourne Mansion book similarly far ahead. North Fork vineyard weddings in the fall have slightly more flexibility but still warrant six to twelve months of lead time.
What are the best Long Island wedding venues?
It depends entirely on what kind of wedding you want. For maximum grandeur, Oheka Castle. If you want Gilded Age estate character, Bourne Mansion or de Seversky Mansion. For the Hamptons beach experience, Bridgehampton Tennis and Surf Club. For a vineyard atmosphere, Bedell Cellars or the North Fork wineries. Long Island genuinely has something for every vision — and I have photographed across it all.
What areas of Long Island do you cover?
All of it — the Gold Coast, the Hamptons, the North Fork, the North Shore, and everywhere between. I am based in the New York area and travel to Long Island regularly.
Long Island has some of the most varied and beautiful wedding venues on the East Coast. If yours is here, I would love to hear about it.
